Gas turbine engines often channel hot/warm moist air to cold/freezing compartments within the engine. The warm moist air is likely to condense into liquid or freeze solid. As a result, both liquid and solid cause blockage of passages preventing correct channeling of the air if steps are not taken to prevent condensation.
The burner pressure sensing line is a pneumatic line that runs from the diffuser case port or burner pressure source to a pressure sensor associated within the electronic engine control housing. When this pneumatic line is blocked with moisture or ice, the burner pressure signal used to control engine thrust is erroneous. In some cases, this could result in a loss of thrust control which may be a significant safety issue. The cause of burner pressure sensing line blockage is the accumulation of moisture in the presence of freezing ambient conditions. This results in blockage of burner pressure passages, preventing the burner pressure from reaching a pressure sensor diaphragm.
Prior art methods have used water traps and weep holes to remove moisture, but have not been completely successful. Many burner pressure sensing systems include screens to protect the sensor from contaminates in the burner pressure air. However, the screens themselves can become contaminated, and are also more prone to freezing because the contamination absorbs and holds the moisture.
What is needed is a system for removing moisture from the burner pressure sensing lines, as well as a way to prevent the accumulation of moisture in a location that could block the lines.